Apron Happiness
You might be thinking: that is an odd thing to lift someone’s mood. Or you might completely understand, since aprons make you feel happy when you see them,too. There are different reasons why I feel sentimentally cheerful when I see an old fashioned apron.
There are the happy memories
My grandmother always wore an apron at home during the day it seemed. She owned all sorts of aprons: Plain Jane ones, frilly sheer ones, calico, and bibbed ones. A veritable wardrobe of aprons. And there always seemed to be something good cooking in her kitchen. Coincidence you say? Something in my little child’s memory says differently. For me, the production of good food and the use of an apron are inextricably tied.
Not only did she have aprons, but my mother had many, as well. And it seemed inevitable that there were several little child sized ones for me. Sometimes to help out while making cookies or perched on a stool washing dishes. Sometimes I had my own little work apron for paint projects at my easel. Each activity added up to a good memory, and aprons seem to connect them all. A new take on the “apron strings”?
All in all, a well worn apron or a pretty retro style… it all means homemaking that is of the exciting cookie baking kind in my mind. Or that most artistic of baking activities: decorating the cookies with frostings and sprinkles.
The good feelings from good food
In my own life as a mother and wife I don’t use an apron everyday, when I do put on my favorite apron it means I am about to cook or bake seriously. That is usually the holiday meal or Christmas preparations (cookies!). It means good food in my mind, when I don that no-nonsense bibbed cooks apron. 
I bake my cardamon rolls while wearing that apron, the roast turkey, the cookies, like Moravian Spice cutouts, and others. For an everyday event that seems like it could get messy I have in inherited assortment of regular half aprons- the type my mother most often wore. ( Because most of them are probably her old ones!
There is just something cute about an apron
It’s true. Maybe it is a throwback to a more naive time, or maybe it is all the adorable prints or funny sayings. I like many of the new handmade ones that seem to be something like the those
Like a smock or a jumper, but just for working around the kitchen. I know I’m not the only one who think that aprons are cute. There is a whole group of people who are rediscovering the usefulness of these useful utilitarian garments
… But it is probably more about fun than usefulness. Like a little bit of playing dress up (and some of the fancy aprons might qualify for the term!). I do remember my mother having some hostess-style aprons that were sheer white and ruffled.
Maybe it is homemade artistry
Old aprons, or handmade ones are something like quilts in the way they can express the makers sense of artistry and fun. Bright colors and skillful pattern combining rule in many of these creations, but there are some pretty sleek creations as well.
Looking over the aprons on a site like http://apronaday.blogspot.com/ or in the etsy.com shopping place is to be in a happy place and just a little addicting.
The sturdier ones can even do double duty as a gardening smock. To work well for the gardener it must have pockets.
Do you like aprons? do they carry some happy memories of the past or a favorite grandmother or aunt?
